Filipina nursing aide and boyfriend charged with taunting an elderly patient on Snapchat

GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS — A disturbing video from a December 2018 incident showed two nursing home aides — including a Filipina — teasing an elderly woman with a hospital gown as she struggled against them.

It was circulated on the popular messaging app, Snapchat. Both aides involved — 21-year-old Jamie Montesa and 20-year-old Brayan Cortez are being held accountable in criminal and civil court.

91-year-old Margaret Collins, a dementia patient, was seen on the video refusing to wear a hospital gown that Cortez was waving at her.

Montesa, Cortez’ girlfiend and coworker, reportedly filmed the incident. The video also showed two laughing emojis with the caption: “Margaret hates gowns.”

Montesa and Cortez confessed to their involvement and were charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, back in January.

Both are released on a $75 bond, and are due back in court later this month.

Earlier this month, a civil suit was filed by the victim’s family against Montesa and Cortez, as well as their employer – the Abington of Glenview Nursing and Rehab Center, and the two nursing aides.

The Collins family is seeking $1 million in damages due to violations of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“That’s exactly what this is — abuse. They knew that she didn’t like this and they persisted in doing it,” said Margaret Battersby Black, counsel for the Collins family. “Not only did she not get the care that she needed, but she got bullied and taunted instead.”

An official statement was handed to the media, which said that management has terminated the two employees involved when it was determined that they violated the company’s standards and policies.

Other Filipinos in the health industry also weighed in.

“If you are going to post, kelangan may consent nung matanda or nung family & if you don’t have that, you have no right posting it. Tese people parang magulang na rin natin sila when you start taking care of them so you have to have that heart or desire to work with them para maiwasan ‘yung mga ganyan.”

As Montesa and Cortez await their fate in criminal and civil courts — their former patient, Collins, has since been moved to another nursing facility.

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